


What's in a Name?

by Yotsubadancesintherain5



Category: Bob's Burgers (Cartoon)
Genre: Character Study, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Gen, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:42:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28317687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yotsubadancesintherain5/pseuds/Yotsubadancesintherain5
Summary: Tina thinks about her dad and grandpa, and realizes something about Gene.
Comments: 12
Kudos: 30





	What's in a Name?

**Author's Note:**

> Partly inspired after realizing, "Hey... Bob is a Jr. and Gene has his own name," after watching the "Father of the Bob," Christmas episode a lot and partly inspired by this  
> [fic](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27581537/chapters/67470530) that wrote about this detail. And check out the author of that fic for other amazing Bob's Burgers fics.

The ride back home from grandpa’s diner was a rare quiet one. From what Tina saw it was only her dad that was still awake. It was good because he was driving.

She could see her mom’s head slightly tilted off the head rest. She was snoring loudly.

Gene was leaning to the side, his arms against the car door and his face against the window. It looked like his nose was getting squished but if he was still sleeping soundly and didn’t mind then Tina didn’t worry.

Louise had crashed out as well, having fallen to the side to sprawl out on Tina’s lap. It was a show of affection that she definitely wouldn’t have shown if she was awake so Tina would enjoy the moment.

But an itch went right underneath Tina’s shoulder blade, an incessant and annoying type. If she moved to scratch it Louise would probably wake up so Tina would just deal with it; if she moved her shoulder blade up and down maybe it could scratch against the seat.

Tina would make it work.

While she tried to do this she reflected on what happened this night. She was at the age where she could sort of picture and chart out the future of her family’s relationships and she couldn’t imagine having only fifteen minutes to stand being in the same room as her dad. She couldn’t picture it going like that for Louise or Gene, either.

She was also at the age where she could kind of see the reason why her dad and pop-pop didn’t see eye to eye. She mused that it’d probably be hard to share the name of someone so critical of her dad.

Tina’s eyebrows furrowed, her itchy shoulder blade forgotten. She thought about how names were passed down from generation to generation in some families. She never realized that Gene’s name was itself – and so different from her dad’s name.

In some other universe Gene would have been called "Bob the Third." Current universe Gene would probably be aghast at that information.

Tina thought and theorized that if dad had passed on his name Gene would have been called Littlest Bob and that was just blatant false advertising – everything about Gene was big, loud and bombastic.

Thinking of a different reality of Gene called "Bob the Third," was very weird. It was like trying to change deep-set facets of reality. Like if the ocean tasted sour instead of salty. Or if the sun was dark blue and freezing cold. Or if butts never existed and Tina was glad _that_ wasn’t reality.

Maybe passing on names like that worked out for others but Tina couldn’t wrap her head around calling Gene “Bob the Third.” Having a name with an addendum for Gene like that would be like if he went off a production line. A mold set up for him, rigid and dismissive when it wasn’t filled.

In that context, it felt like if Gene was given the same name as their dad it’d be like if someone took a giant, vibrant flower and put it in the world’s smallest flower pot. And then that flower pot would shatter when the flower got tired of that cramped space. It seemed that history wouldn’t repeat itself.

The flower and flower pot metaphor was suitably dramatic enough that it made Tina’s brain crackle with inspiration. She’d have to figure out how to work that into one of her friend fictions.

Tina nodded at her revelation, a small, “Hmmm,” humming in her throat. She took another glance at Gene and was glad that he was the way he was.

That put a burst of familial love in her heart.

She was glad that Louise had her soft center, hidden by schemes, a fascination with violence and a ride-or-die loyalty to the family. She was glad that her mom went by the beat of her own drum. And she was glad that her dad knew what it was like to have your quirks stifled and so he accepted them all in his gruff and exasperated but loving way.

And, with no hesitation, Tina could say she was glad she was herself, too.


End file.
